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Inventory · head to head

DEAR Inventory vs IFS Cloud

DEAR Inventory logo

DEAR Inventory

Inventory

Complete inventory and order management system

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IFS Cloud logo

IFS Cloud

ERP

Single-codebase ERP, EAM and field service for asset-heavy industries

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DEAR Inventory starting price of $349/month is high for small businesses; IFS Cloud the partner ecosystem is a fraction of the size of SAP or Microsoft, so day rates for experienced IFS consultants are high and availability is genuinely constrained; a failing implementation is hard to rescue because there are few alternative firms to bring in.
  • They diverge on capability: DEAR Inventory covers Inventory management, IFS Cloud covers Single codebase.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DEAR Inventory and IFS Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where DEAR Inventory and IFS Cloud differ
AttributeDEAR InventoryIFS Cloud
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, Cloud-basedWeb, iOS, Android, Windows
CategoryInventoryERP
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in DEAR Inventory

  • Inventory management
  • Manufacturing
  • Purchase orders
  • Sales orders
  • Accounting
  • Xero
  • QuickBooks
  • Shopify

Only in IFS Cloud

  • Single codebase
  • Aviation MRO
  • Field service management
  • Enterprise asset management
  • Copperleaf decision analytics
  • Composable deployment
  • Twice-yearly release train
  • Project-driven manufacturing

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

DEAR Inventory

  • Inventory management and trackingnot IFS Cloud
  • E-commerce integration and synchronizationnot IFS Cloud
  • Multi-channel order managementnot IFS Cloud
  • Stock and supply chain managementnot IFS Cloud

IFS Cloud

  • An airline or defence operator that needs airworthiness-compliant maintenance records tied to the same system that runs procurement and financenot DEAR Inventory
  • A utility that must justify capital asset spend to a regulator and wants the investment case and the work orders in one placenot DEAR Inventory
  • A contract manufacturer running engineer-to-order projects where project accounting, shop floor and service revenue need to reconcilenot DEAR Inventory
  • An industrial services firm replacing a separate ERP, CMMS and field scheduling tool with one vendor contractnot DEAR Inventory

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

DEAR Inventory

  • Starting price of $349/month is high for small businesses
  • Base plan limited to 6 integrations; additional integrations require separate purchase
  • No published details on integration add-on costs
  • Redirects to Cin7.com, indicating product has been acquired or rebranded

IFS Cloud

  • The partner ecosystem is a fraction of the size of SAP or Microsoft, so day rates for experienced IFS consultants are high and availability is genuinely constrained; a failing implementation is hard to rescue because there are few alternative firms to bring in.
  • Financial accounting and consolidation are the weakest part of the suite relative to the asset and service modules, and finance teams at group level often end up keeping a separate consolidation tool, which undermines the single-system business case.
  • Licensing is per capability area on top of user counts, so a scope change during implementation can produce a licence uplift that was not in the original business case, and the price is only discoverable through sales.
  • Upgrades between major releases still require regression testing of customisations, and organisations that have extended the product heavily report multi-month upgrade projects rather than the low-effort updates the cloud positioning implies.
  • IFS is private-equity owned and has acquired several companies in quick succession, so the portfolio and the roadmap have shifted more than once; a capability you buy on a roadmap promise may be delivered by an acquired product with a different data model.

Pricing, plan by plan

DEAR Inventory

On request
  • Standard$249/month
    • Core features
    • 5 users
    • Standard support
  • Professional$449/month
    • Advanced manufacturing
    • 10 users
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise$849/month
    • Full features
    • Unlimited users
    • Dedicated support

IFS Cloud

On request
  • IFS Cloud$undefined/year
    • Named and concurrent user licensing
    • Capability areas licensed separately
    • Cloud, customer-cloud or on-premises deployment

Which should you pick?

Choose DEAR Inventory if

  • You need inventory management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based.
  • You also want manufacturing.
DEAR Inventory review

Choose IFS Cloud if

  • You need single codebase.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want aviation mro.
IFS Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is DEAR Inventory or IFS Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. DEAR Inventory starts at On request and IFS Cloud at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DEAR Inventory or IFS Cloud?
DEAR Inventory starts at On request and IFS Cloud at On request.
Does DEAR Inventory or IFS Cloud run on more platforms?
DEAR Inventory runs on Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based. IFS Cloud runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
What is DEAR Inventory best used for?
DEAR Inventory is most often used for inventory management and tracking, e-commerce integration and synchronization, multi-channel order management, stock and supply chain management. Of those, inventory management and tracking and e-commerce integration and synchronization are not what IFS Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can DEAR Inventory do that IFS Cloud cannot?
DEAR Inventory covers Inventory management, Manufacturing, Purchase orders, Sales orders. IFS Cloud covers Single codebase, Aviation MRO, Field service management, Enterprise asset management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DEAR Inventory: How much does DEAR Inventory cost?

DEAR Inventory (now Cin7) pricing starts at $349 per month for plans that accommodate up to 6 e-commerce and app integrations. Additional integrations are available for purchase.

Source
IFS Cloud: Is IFS Cloud one product or a suite of separate ones?

One product on one codebase. You licence capability areas within it rather than buying separate applications, though acquired products such as Copperleaf are still being folded in.

DEAR Inventory: Is there a free trial for DEAR Inventory?

Yes, Cin7 (formerly DEAR Inventory) offers a free trial option. Contact the vendor directly or visit their website to start a free trial.

Source
IFS Cloud: How much does IFS Cloud cost?

IFS does not publish pricing. Cost depends on user counts and which capability areas you licence, and implementation is usually the larger line item.

DEAR Inventory: What integrations does DEAR Inventory support?

DEAR Inventory base plans include up to 6 e-commerce and app integrations. Additional integrations beyond the base 6 are available but require separate purchase.

Source
IFS Cloud: Is IFS a credible replacement for SAP S/4HANA?

In asset-heavy and service-heavy industries, yes. For a finance-first, multi-country group with complex statutory consolidation, SAP remains stronger.

DEAR Inventory: Is DEAR Inventory still available?

DEAR Inventory has been rebranded as Cin7. The Cin7 platform continues to provide inventory management with e-commerce integrations at $349/month starting price.

Source
IFS Cloud: Who owns IFS?

It is privately held, majority owned by EQT and Hg. That funds acquisitions but also means the portfolio changes shape.

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